Access points with virtual clients

1. A method comprising:

implementing a virtual client on a first access point (AP), the virtual client to simulate a wireless client device;

associating the virtual client on the first AP with a second AP;

receiving by the first AP, over a wired link, test traffic sent by a server which is associated with the virtual client;

implementing a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) on the server, each VM handling layer 3 functions of a respective virtual client and running a test program to test a wireless local area network (WLAN), each VM being associated with a respective tunnel identifier (ID);

implementing a corresponding plurality of virtual clients on the first AP, each virtual client being associated with a respective tunnel identifier (ID) and VM;

forwarding, by the virtual client, the test traffic to the second AP over the wireless interface, wherein layer 3 operations of the virtual client are handled by the server and wireless layer 2 operations of the virtual client are handled by the first AP.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the test traffic includes at least one of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request, a domain name server request and an address resolution protocol (ARP) packet.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the server generates test traffic to perform at least one of the following tests: a wireless throughput performance test, a roaming test, a web download speed test and a ping test.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the test traffic is sent between the virtual client of the first AP and the server via a tunnel which encapsulates the test traffic with a tunnel header.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of second APs and each virtual client is to associate with a different second access point.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of virtual clients are to associate with a same second AP but to emulate a plurality of different client devices having different internet protocol (IP) addresses.

7. An access point (AP) comprising:

a wired interface;

a wireless interface;

a processor and a non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing instructions executable by the processor to:

implement a virtual client on the AP, the virtual client to simulate a wireless client device;

associate the virtual client on the AP with another AP;

receive by the AP, over a wired link, test traffic sent by a server which is associated with the virtual client;

implement a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) on the server, each VM handling layer 3 functions of a respective virtual client and running a test program to test a wireless local area network (WLAN), each VM being associated with a respective tunnel identifier (ID);

implement a corresponding plurality of virtual clients on the first AP, each virtual client being associated with a respective tunnel identifier (ID) and VM;

forward, by the virtual client, the test traffic to the other AP over the wireless interface, wherein layer 3 operations of the virtual client are handled by the server and wireless layer 2 operations of the virtual client are handled by the first AP.

8. The AP of claim 7 wherein the test traffic includes at least one of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request, a domain name server request and an address resolution protocol (ARP) packet.

9. The AP of claim 7 wherein the server generates test traffic to perform at least one of the following tests: a wireless throughput performance test, a roaming test, a web download speed test and a ping test.

10. The AP of claim 7 wherein the test traffic is sent between the virtual client of the AP and the server via a tunnel which encapsulates the test traffic with a tunnel header.

11. The AP of claim 7 wherein there are a plurality of other APs and each virtual client is to associate with a different other access point.

12. The AP of claim 7 wherein the plurality of virtual clients are to associate with a same other AP but to emulate a plurality of different client devices having different internet protocol (IP) addresses.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

implement a virtual client on an access point (AP), the virtual client to simulate a wireless client device;

associate the virtual client on the AP with another AP;

receive by the AP, over a wired link, test traffic sent by a server which is associated with the virtual client;

implement a plurality of virtual machines (VMs) on the server, each VM handling layer 3 functions of a respective virtual client and running a test program to test a wireless local area network (WLAN), each VM being associated with a respective tunnel identifier (ID);

implement a corresponding plurality of virtual clients on the first AP, each virtual client being associated with a respective tunnel identifier (ID) and VM;

forward, by the virtual client, the test traffic to the other AP over the wireless interface, wherein layer 3 operations of the virtual client are handled by the server and wireless layer 2 operations of the virtual client are handled by the first AP.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the test traffic includes at least one of a dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) request, a domain name server request and an address resolution protocol (ARP) packet.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the server generates test traffic to perform at least one of the following tests: a wireless throughput performance test, a roaming test, a web download speed test and a ping test.